Overview & Reviews

If you're thinking about purchasing a vehicle rugged enough to finesse rocky trails, chances are, one make comes to mind: Jeep. This specialty automotive manufacturer has a long history of producing trucks and SUVs capable of off-highway adventures — so much so that the term jeep is used by many to refer to all SUVs, whether the vehicle in question is a true Jeep or not.

Jeep took root in WWII as the name of the now-iconic four-wheel-drive military vehicle produced by Willys-Overland and Ford for the U.S. Army. The name's origin is somewhat of a mystery; popular belief is that it morphed from "GP," or "general purpose," though others have suggested that it was a nickname derived from a character featured in the Popeye comic strip of the time.

The mid-1940s saw the introduction of the first civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A. It offered many features not available on military versions, such as a tailgate, an external fuel cap and a side-mounted spare tire, and was targeted mainly toward farmers and construction workers.

Civilian Jeeps caught on with the public, and by the 1950s, new models such as the CJ-3B and the CJ-5 had been introduced. The CJ-5 had the longest production run of any Jeep vehicle, continuing for 30 years after its introduction in the early '50s. The company changed owners during this decade as Willys-Overland was sold to Kaiser in 1953.

Jeep broke new ground in the 1960s with the debut of its Wagoneer. Geared toward active families, this early SUV was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. A new "Dauntless" V6 became available as an option on the CJ-5 and CJ-6 in 1965. This was the first time that a Jeep CJ could be equipped with a V6. Packing 155 horses, the engine's horsepower almost doubled that offered by the standard four-cylinder.

By the 1970s, Jeep had changed ownership yet again, with the purchase of Kaiser-Jeep by American Motors Corporation. New models like the CJ-7 and the Scrambler were rolled out. Additionally, the company unveiled some new technology with the introduction of the world's first automatic full-time four-wheel-drive system. Dubbed Quadra-Trac, it was available in the CJ-7 as well as in full-size Jeep trucks and wagons. During this decade, Jeep's fortunes soared as four-wheel-drive vehicles became increasingly popular with large sections of American buyers.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the Cherokee and Wrangler. The Cherokee was one of the first of the new breed of SUVs — high-riding midsize wagons that skyrocketed in popularity as the decade progressed. The Wrangler replaced the CJ series in 1987 and offered the raw functionality of the CJ along with more comfort features. That year also saw the purchase of American Motors by Chrysler, with the Jeep brand becoming part of Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division. One of Jeep's most popular models, the Grand Cherokee, debuted for 1993. This handsome, midsize SUV offered considerably more comfort and luxury than the smaller Cherokee while still providing stout off-road capability.

Jeep fell under the umbrella of DaimlerChrysler after Chrysler and Daimler-Benz merged in 1998. This partnership resulted in a few new models, such as the Liberty and Compass, though none were able to attain great sales success. In 2007, Daimler sold the Chrysler Group to a private equity firm. It is now under control of Fiat.

More recently, the company has added a couple of enticing models to its lineup (including a four-door version of the Wrangler and the pavement-scorching Grand Cherokee SRT8) and made substantial performance and quality improvements under the hoods and within the cabins. As such, we expect Jeep will not only maintain a loyal group of customers but will also bring new fans into the fold.

User Reviews:

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  08 Liberty is purely awesome - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By tgreenjr23 - October 19 - 3:03 pm

  I got this new Jeep about 7 months ago and It is the best car Ive ever ridden in, driven, and owned. It is the most comfortable ride of any car Ive had. My dads BMW doesnt even drive as well as the Jeep. It could be a bit more powerful. The manual transmission that happens to be $850 less than the auto solves the problem of fuel efficiency. The new Jeep styling has made a huge impression not just on me but on all my friends. There is a lot of room for a mid-sized SUV. The cars price, fair reliability, ease of driving, and small turning radius make it a great car for beginner drivers. And parents dont worry about safety, this car is a tank. buy this car and you wont be disappointed.

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  Go Patriot! - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By urban dog - October 19 - 12:43 pm

  I was looking to replace my 2003 Toyota Matrix XRS and I happened upon the Patriot reviews on this site. I checked out the specs, ratings, and comparisons and really liked what i saw. I jumped on to the Jeep site, built my own, and submitted my request. Next day, a nice lady from the dealer called me and to make a long story short, Im a proud owner of an 08 Patriot sport 5sp 2x4. (w/ a few bells and whistles) What can I say..Good looking retro Cherokee looks, nice ride, peppy 4 banger w/ good mileage, roomy, great safety features, auxilary jack on the radio is awsome, and the insurance was cheaper than the Matrix. The Patriot is not Gods gift to man, but it sure make me happy.

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  think about another brand - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tmarmo - October 19 - 10:00 am

  This was my first and last mopar product. The jeep definitely needs more Benz influence to improve the product. Good thing that my local servicing dealer takes very good care of me. The transfer case leaked, the electric fan was replaced, the engine stalls and restarts when it feels like it. The brake rotors are too flimsy, I have replaced 2 sets of rotors already. 4 wheel drive works intermittently, has let me down a few times when needed. Not a real bad vehicle, but Im going back to A GM product, which had much better quality.

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  Live to tell the story - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Dis-Knee - October 19 - 10:00 am

  I received my 2004 Jeep Liberty Renegade for my birthday.We had been looking at several different makes and models but finally decided on this Jeep Liberty. It looked awsome and I really loved the way it drove. Ten days after our purchase, I was stopped at a red traffic light and looked in my rear view mirror and saw a large SUV coming up behind me and not stopping. I braced my feet on the break and my hands on the wheel, then closed my eyes. CRASH!! I was rear- ended. When I got out of my Jeep to check out the damage, I was amazed. The Ford Expedition was totaled and undriveable. My Liberty took the hit on the door mounted spare tire, and cam

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  Get an all Black one - we wave! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By cmorgan - October 19 - 10:00 am

  I installed the tornado air system and put in a K&N air filter. I also use synthetic oil-- all this has bumped me from original MPG of 14.5 to an acceptable 17.1 MPG. The V6 engine is very strong and responds immediately when you stomp it with a downshift from 4th to 2nd. Stock speakers were bad-- replaced head unit with pioneer 3 pre- outs, put in Polk Momo coaxials and components in all 4 doors w/ dynamat powered by an eclipse amp, and have a Kicker 12" SoloBaric L7 sub in the back (its a 4ohm w/ dual voice coils and a sealed enclosure) the sub is powered by a rockford 500 punch amp. The Liberty drives flawlessly in the rain, great big tread/goodyear tires

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  A total nightmare - 2011 Jeep Compass
  By joshregenold - October 18 - 8:50 pm

  This Jeep Compass has been, without a doubt, the worst car Ive ever owned. Major issues include: 1. A new transmission at 30k miles, all on the highway; paid for by Chrysler at least 2. Two new sets of struts within the first 30k miles 3. Brakes audibly squeak 100% of the time at 35k miles 4. Weather striping replaced at 20k miles, road and wind noise are both still unbearable 5. Both of the front doors are rattle traps 6. The stereo faceplate fell off at 10k miles These vehicles also drop like a rock in value, much moreso than others in this class.

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  My Best Jeep - 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tomintucson - October 18 - 9:20 am

  This Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best yet! The quality of workmanship is very good, the vehicle is solid and fun to drive, and I have had no problems at all. I am really enjoying this Jeep, even though I have owned 7 Grand Cherokees in the past.

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  Commander Limited 5.7 4x2 - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By lovemyxk - October 18 - 2:56 am

  Without a doubt one of the best vehicles Ive ever driven. Love the power of the 5.7 Hemi. Fuel economy isnt bad for a big V-8, averaging about 16 mpg in mixed driving. Front seat comfort is great, rear DVD is a must have w/ wireless headphones. Rear seat passengers have a great view with rear sunroofs and stadium style seating. The rear seat is a bit snug, though, but great for children or smaller adults. Love the styling, it really stands out, mine is Inferno Red and love the way it looks with the chrome finish wheels. Rides great, especially on long highway trips.

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  Very Fun To Drive - 2014 Jeep Wrangler
  By atg3000gt - October 18 - 1:03 am

  I purchased my 2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport w/ 6 speed manual 10/10/2013. The Jeep is very comfortable and shifting is quite easy. There is very little road noise for the Sunrider top even at highway speeds. My only complaint is that most of the Sunrider top components should be metal whenever possible. I broke my bow lock on day one.

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  LOVE IT!!!! Continuing the Jeep Legacy! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Soxnfins - October 15 - 12:16 pm

  Have the V6 4wd commander with only 50,233 miles on it, bought it 2 months ago and love it!!! Cant complain about the gas mileage because of the similar sizes of the vehicles in its class getting way less MPGS!